MAJOR HEROIN FACILITATOR ARRESTED IN ACCRA

C O N F I D E N T I A L ACCRA 002426

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

DEPT FOR AF/W, INL, DS/IP/AF, DS/ICI/CL, L/LEI FOR BUCHOLZ
AND MUELLER; DOJ/OIA-K FOR LATIMER AND KRAFT-KLEHM; DEA
PLEASE PASS TO WASHINGTON FIELD DIVISION AND OEE/OI/OC;
ROME FOR RD BENSON; BRUSSELS FOR ARD SCARANTINO

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/20/2017
TAGS: SNAR PGOV PREL ASEC GH
SUBJECT: MAJOR HEROIN FACILITATOR ARRESTED IN ACCRA

REF: A) ACCRA 2244 B) ACCRA 2273

Classified By: AMBASSADOR PAMELA E. BRIDGEWATER FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND
(D).


1. (SBU) On November 20, the Ghana Police, in conjunction
with DEA, arrested Kwame Asiedu, a.k.a. Clement Kwame Ablorh,
for conspiracy to manufacture and distribute heroin to the
U.S. Asiedu was a major organizer and facilitator of
trafficking Southwest Asian heroin through Ghana to the U.S
and his indictment stemmed from the recent arrests of two
major Afghan heroin suppliers arrested in Ghana (refs A and
B) and a Ghanaian arrested in the U.S. approximately one
month ago. DEA and Ghana Police conducted surveillance on
Asiedu for three days and a DEA source finally lured him into
a fast food restaurant parking lot where he was arrested.
Another Ghanaian was present with Asiedu when he was
arrested, but he is not suspected of being a narcotics
dealer. After the arrest, Asiedu was taken to Ghana Police
Headquarters where he will remain until a court appearance.


2. (C) Asiedu was indicted on November 20 in the Eastern
District of Virginia and Post is awaiting the formal
extradition package from the Department of Justice Office of
International Affairs. Post submitted the provisional arrest
request to the GOG and DEA personally handed a copy to
Ambassador D. K. Osei, the Secretary to President Kufuor.
Once the formal extradition package is received, the Ghanaian
court system must approve the extradition, which can take
time. However, Osei said that he would try to "fast track"
the legal process, adding that he wants this extradition to
send a strong signal to the Ghanaian drug barons that, if
indicted in the U.S., they will be extradited immediately to
the U.S. to stand trial. Osei indicated he knows the
identities of the major drug barons in Accra and said he
recognizes the threat they pose to Ghana.


3. (SBU) COMMENT: The arrest and surveillance went smoothly
and the Ghana Police again displayed professionalism. As in
the arrest of the two Afghans, information was very closely
held, with only three GOG officials, including the President,
aware of the operation before the arrest took place. This is
the first 959 indictment of a Ghanaian citizen and it will be
interesting to see how the extradition process plays out.
Asiedu appears to be connected to several powerful Ghanaian
drug barons and other influential people and if he is
extradited, the Ghanaian drug baron community will likely be
alarmed. This arrest, combined with the arrest and expulsion
of the two Afghan smugglers, seem to indicate a GOG
willingness, at least in the President's office, to treat the
narcotics threat seriously and act accordingly. END COMMENT.
BRIDGEWATER